Sewing-machine.



9 SHEETSSHEET l.

Patented Dec; 8, 1914.

A.-E. JERRAM. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4, 1909.

v mama? m M 19 E44' .A. E. JERRAM.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4, 1909 Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

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A. E. JERRAML SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4,1909,

Patented. Dec. 8, 1914.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. E. JERRAM.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4,1909.

Patented Deb. 8,191.4.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 4 JZi-AA (Xjfinessea Dal/em;

A. E. JERRAM.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1909.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

1.5. E. JERRAM.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1909.

Patented Dec. 8, 19141 SH EET a.

e SHEETS A. E. JERRAM.

EWING MACHINE:

' APPLIGA'ELION TILED AUG. 4, 1909.

3 1 Patented ma. 8,1914.

9 SHEEN-311mm.

A. E. JERRAM. SEWING MACHINE;

APPLIOATION FILED AUGA, 1009 w PatentedDe'c. s, 1914 9 SHEETS-SHEBT 8.

A. EHJERRAM.

SEWING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1909.

' Patented Dec.8,1914.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

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entree s'rarns PATENT civics.

ARTHUR ERNEST JERRAM, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application filed August 4, 1909. Serial No. 511,216.

1/ b all '11:]: am it may (*0)? ccrn it known that l, ARTHUR E..JERRA1\, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Leicester, in the county of Leicester, llngland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seu'ingdllachinesg and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear. and exact description of the invention. such as will. enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in the thicknessof the work as to cause the take-up to deliver thread only when the needle in penetrating arrives in a predetermined position in relation to that surface of the work which varies in its relation to the path of penetration of the needle. And operating means may be combined with this arrangement whereby the take-up is caused to draw from the supply an amount of thread that is proportional to the thickness of the work.

The take-up mechanism, according to this invention, may comprise a single slack thread take-up, a tln'ead-measuring stop adjustable by the work to limit the movement of the take-up and a mechanism whereby the take-up is operated positively to set the stitch and yieldingly during the thread measuring part of its stroke. Also a thread-- locking device may be included against which the stitch is set and which releases the thread for .measuring and means may also .he provided to cause the take-up before such release takes place .to move slightly in a retrograde direction so as to slaoken out the more or less elastic thread sufliciently to let it contract-from a stretched to a normal A feature of the invention is that in a. wax-thread locl-st1tch sewing-machine the arrangement of the thread-controlling devices is such that only two members, a thread locker and a single takeaip, are in contact with the thread between the wax pot and the needle.

Conveniently, the mechanism for actuat ing the take-up may be a cam provided with a yielding 'scction by which section thev thread measuring part of-the upstroke 0f the take-up is effected in a yielding manner.

The invention therefore comprises for a lock-stich sewing machine, a. take-up that is operated. first, positively to set a stitch against the resistance afforded by a threadlocking device and then yieldingly when the thread is released to draw a measured amount from the supply.

Other features of the invention comprise an improved device for measuring off an amount of thread that is proportional to the length of the stitch or to both the length of the stitch and the thickness of the work.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanyin sheets of'drawings but it is not to be considered that the invention is necessarily limited to the precise construetic-n described or to the exact arrangement of the parts set forth as these'are merely by way of example of a method of carrying the invention into effect.

In the accompanying drawmgs: F1gure 1 15' a front elevat1on of a sewmg machine in \vhich'the features of the present invention are embodied in their preferred form; Fig

is a plan of the machine, a portion ofthe" casing beingbroken away to show underlying parts: Fig. 3 is a front elevation with portions of the casing broken away and with certain of the machine parts in section; Fig. 4 is an end elevation; Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a view showing in detail and separate from the machine the needle bar, operating means and the shuttle with its connected parts; Figs. 6* and 6 are views of the shuttle as seen in Fig. 6 but showing in each figure a different stage in the cycle of operation of the machine; Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to Fig. 6 but with the parts in different operative positions; Figs. 9 and 10 show the shuttle in side elevation and in section but drawn to a scale larger than that of Figs. 1 to 8; Figs. 11 and 12 are detail views'looking in opposite directions of a portion of the shuttle actuating mechanism. Fig. 13 is a view in end elevation of a portion of the machine drawn to a larger scale than Fig. 1. Fig. 14 is a detail View in end elevation of the cam disk from which the needle bar andtake up are actuated. Fig. 15 is a vertical. sectional view 01'- the disk illustrated in Fig. 14. Fig. 16- is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 14:; Figs. 17., 18 and 19 are detail. views illustrating the presser foot lifting mechanism, Fig. 17 being a plan view, Fig. 18 a view in end elevation and .Fig. 1.9 a detail sectional view on the line 19-19, of Fig. 17, and Figs. 20, 21 and 22, are detail views of the thread locking mechanism, Fig. 20 being a view in end elevation, Fig. 21 a view in side elevation and Fig. 22 a section on the line 22-22, of Fig. 20.

Like reference letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

The general operation of the machine will first bedescribcd. A needle C Fig. 'l) and oscillating shuttle D are employed so as to produce a lock stitch. The movement of the needle 0 is such that, after the needle has penetrated the work and has been raised a sufficient distance to cause a loop of thread to be thrown out away from. the needle between the needle eye and the work sufiicient pauseoccurs in the vertical movement of the needle to give time for the shuttle to pass right through the loop of-necdle thread and simultaneously for the needle to move forward and feed the work. The loop of needle thread is engaged by a hook E and moved" into the path of the shuttle beak D. It should be noted that up to this point, 2'. 8., when the loop of needle thread is in readiness to be engaged by the shuttle beak D, approximately no thread under strain has been drawn through the needle. The shuttle beak then engages the loop and pulls thread tl'irough the eye of the needle in a direction substantially in the verticalpla-ne containing the axis of the needle eye-and preferably at an angle approximating to 45 with the line of penetration of the needle, as shown in Fig. 6, this angle having been determined experimentally to be the best. Sufficient thread is pulled down to pass the loop over the thread case D of the shuttle D before the continued movement of the beak D carries the thread into such an angle that it will slip from the beak of the shuttle and upward around the thread case D the latter passiug through the loop without pulling down 1 the stitch.

any further thread. The thread is then finally pulled up by the take-up to tighten The frame A of the machine supports the main shaft B which is provided with a, driving pulley B and with abalance wheel B The main shaft B carries two cam disks F and G (Fig. 3) for operating the various parts of the machine in a manner hereinafter to be described. The plate A on which the work rests is curved so that its surface forms part of a cylinder with its axis running'from side to side of the machine. A hole or slot is pro vided in this plate through which the needle C passes, and the shuttle D is arranged beneath th eaplate, as shown in Fig. l. The

needle is arranged, with the axis of its eye a link C to a pivot pin C projecting from a lever Q that is pivoted at (1 in the cam disk Gr, see Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The lever C is pivoted at a point intermediate between the center and circumfcrenceof the camdisk so that the pivot pin C may be moved toward or from the center about which the cam-disk G revolves. The cam disk is of substantially cylindrical form, hollowed out near its center on the side adjacent to the needle and closed on the other side and the lever C moves within the open part. The lever C is provided with an arm or tail C projecting through a slot or opening in the cam G so that a runner C on the lever may engage a cam slot A in a fixed cam disk A-. This cam slot is so shaped as to cause the pin C on the lever C to move in an.

irregular path (indicated approximately at abletime adjacent to the axis of, the main shaft B. This pause occurs after the. needle (I has penetrated the work and has been raised a su'tiicient distance to cause a loop to be thrown and continues while the shuttle D engages and passesthrough the loop of needle thread and also the pause gives time for the needle to move forward and feed the work.

'lne oscillating shuttle D (Figs. 9 and 10) is arrangedapproximately in the plane in which take place the several. movements of the needle, and the shuttle comprises the thread-containing case or body D pivoted at D to a carrier D* that is substantially in the form of a thin disk or cylinder with its axis, alined from side to side of the machine. Though in general formthe carrier part of the shuttle is cylindrical a portion of sector like form is cut away to leave a space D wherein the ad acent edges D D of the carrier are concave and convex respectively, and that the concavity forms needle thread when the shuttle is in the position illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. The shuttle reel Z is carried on a spindle Z fixed in the cylinder casing or body D and a catch Z controlled by a spring Z serves to retain the casing in its closed position. The thread delivers from the reel through a slot in the casing and passes under a tension -.device Z and through a slot Z and hole Z? in the casing to the work. The tension .device is made 'of bent sheet metal and is pivoted at D, anadjusting screw Z in the casing serving to regulate the pressure on the thread. The shuttle turns in a circular raceways. (Fig. 3) that forms a bearing for the carrier l) and it is oscillated therein by a shuttle driver H (Fig. 4) that fits into the sector like space Close to the hole I Z and between the hole and the beak D of the shuttle, the bobbin case is provided with a rib Z over which the shuttle thread passes, the functionof this rib being to preyent any slackness in the shuttle thread dur- [ing the rotation of the shuttle. Beneath the plate A over which the work is fed and referably above the level of the shuttle the loop-taking hook E is arranged and by suitable mechanism to be hereinafter described,

is moved pastthe needle crosswise in a direction to it and to the direction of food.

but inclined somewhat downward toward the shuttle axis as shown in Fig. 3. After the needle has risen about a quarter of an inch from its lowermost position the loop that, by the-rising of the needle, is thrown toward the back of the machine is engaged by the loop-taking hook E as seen in Fig 6 and is deflected or driven in a direction crosswise of the needle and of the line of feed into the path of the shuttle beak D. The shuttle beak D then engages the loop and pulls thread through the eye of the needle in the direction which has been referred to above and as indicated in Fig. 6".

Suilicient thread is pulled down to pass over. the thread case D before. the continued movement of the beak D carries the thread into such an angle that it will slip inward along the slight lump or projection D* on the carrier below the beak; and simultaneously with this the forward end of the thread case D engagesthe'loop, expands it, as seen in Fig. 6 and the thread case passes therethrough without pulling any further thread through the-needle eye. By the retrograde movement of the driver H sufficient clearance between it and the back of the shuttle D is obtained to enable the loop of thread to be pulled up in theordiand upon the final portion of the leaf spring I (Figs. 3 and 4;). which nary way to tighten the stitch, see Figs.

and 8.

over three quarters of a complete revolution by the driver H which comprises a piece fitting into the sector-like space D in the carrier D of the shuttle. The driver H is carried upon an oscillating shaft H (Fig.

which is arranged horizontally in alinement with the axis about which the shuttle turns. This shaft at its right hand end is providedwith an arm H the outer end of which is provided with a slot to receive a block H (see Figs. 3 and 5). The block H is pivotally connected to one end of a link H? which is mounted to slide in a pivoted block H The block H is secured .to a pivot pin H and the link H is provided with a longitudinal slot through which the pivot pin passes. The other-end of the link H is pivoted at H on a lever H fulcrumed at H to the frame of the machine andthe upper end of the lever H is provided with a runner H v a cam groove H in the face of the cam disk'F. The'shuttle driver H is provided with a needle-straightening device H Fi g. consisting of an extension from the driver H. This extension H projects through thercircular raceway of the shuttle retrograde movement of the shuttle driver H, engages the needle from behindand if the needle has been deflected toward the loop taking hook E in penetrating the work, the device 1-1 will operate to push the needle up against the forward end of the slot in the plate .A into correct position. for cotiperation with the loop-taking hook E.

The loop-taking hook E, the operation of which has been before described, is detachably fixed on the end of a sliding rod E (Fig. 3) that is supported-in a bearing in the frame of the machine. The right hand end of the sliding rod is connected by a link spherical cam runner that engages with 'i .a correspondingly-shaped cam-groove F* formed in the periphery of the cam-disk F The. presser foot I (Fig. 4) for holding the work against the plate A is attached to a vertical bar I working in hearings in the machine frame A. The presser foot I is forced yieldingly against the work by a bears in engagement with upon the upper end of the bar I. The

presser 'foqt is raised against the action of the spring I to permitthe work't'o be fed.

by a mechanism that comprises a collar- 1 loosely mounted upon the upper end of the bar I, and a lever I pivoted at I on the collar and having a projection a which when the end of the lever is lifted will first grip the bar 1 against. the collar, andfrom an adjustable rod 1 carried in the machine frameand at this time the position of the parts is such that the presser-foot bar 1 is free to slide through the collar I The material is fed by the movement of the needle C, which together with its needle bar C is movable bodily sidewise for that purpose by mechanism about to be described. The needle bar 0 is carried 1n a movable frame C mounted on a' hollow rod (1 sliding in hearings in the machine frame.

A. The frame-C is steadied by a guider comprising a plate A (Figs. 1 and 4:) attached to the frame of the machine, and

having a slot in which the frame C fits. The slide rod C at its rear end is provided with a die (Fig. 2) pivoted upon a pin J that extends through a slot in the rod C and is secured to the end of a pendant arm .l of a rock shaft J that extends across the back of the machine and is'mounted upon center points A A in the machine frame A. The other end of the rock-shaft J carries a curved arm J connected to'the feed-operatin g mechanism presently to be described and the rock-shaft has motion imparted to it v therefrom which is variable according to the setting of that mechanism. To feed the work with precision notwithstanding the flexibility of the needle 0, an assistant needle feeder is provided to engage the needle below the work-supporting or throat plate A and to move in unison with the slide frame (3 Theassistant feeder comprises a plate K (Fig. 3) carried on a rocker K that works about the shuttle shaft H" i and has at its right hand end a projecting arm K (Fig. 5) that is connected by a link 1*? to the curved arm 3 which. connects the rock-shaft J to the feed-operating mechanism. The effect of these connections is that the i ieedle-carrying slide C and the needle C and the assistant needle feeder K are all moved backward or forward in unison. f

The feed actuating mechanism comprises a cam groove in the left-hand facev of the cam disk 1* with which groove engages a roller L carried by an extension of the cident with the axis of the cam-roller L when the toggle L L? is in the position in Which the needle C is at thebeg'inning of its work-feeding stroke. The member 'L may be adjusted and clamped in any desiged position by means of a screw L. passing through a slot A in the casing of the machine frame and having a nut L screwed upon it. By adjustment of the member L, the position of the path of motion of the cam roller L- can be 'altered so as to vary the feed movement by varying that component of the motion of the roller L which is available for movingthe curved arm J The thread take-up comprises lever'M pivoted at M upon the machine frame A and provided with a runner or heel M over which the thread extends. The lever M is to the lever M behind the runner and. this.

operated by a cam groove Gr in the cam disk G with which engages a roller M on an arm M formed upon the hub of the takeup lever plate is heated by. a burner N (Fig. 1)

which directs a flame upon it. During the movement of the needle C from the point at Which its eye is levelwith the Work on penetrating to the time when the stitch is pulled in, the motion transmitted to the take-up lever M is positive and the thread is locked by a thread-locker presently to be described. After the thread has beenpulled to set the stitch, however, a retrograde movement is imparted to the take-up sufficient to relieve the strain on the thread and then the thread is unlocked and the take-up is given a motion that varies according to the thickness of the Work for the purpose of pulling sufficient thread through the thread-locker for the formation of the next stitch. To permit of this variable motion of the take-up lever M the cam disk G is provided with yield in g section G of which one side forms a pertion of the outer wall of the cam-groove G The-section G is pivoted at G to the cam disk G and a spring G attached respectively to the section and to the cam disk tends to maintain the section against a stop G, in which position of the section the outer Wall of the cam groove G is continuous. The normal shape of this cam-groove is. such that if the yielding section G does not operate (that is to say if it is not moved away from intercepted by a stop I? which changes its 'thread between the two.

position in unison with variations in the thickness of the material. The stop 1 18 preferably arranged on an arm I fixed on the presser-bar I.

In operation on thinner material, after the stitch is pulled in and the thread hasbeen unlocked the yielding section G of the cam G will yieldingly impel the take-up M to pull the thread through the thread locker until the stop piece M is intercepted by the stop I whereupon the yielding section of the cam, by the continued rotation of the main shaft B, will be deflected from its normal position. Upon further, rotation of the cam, some portion of the inner wall of the cam groove will be brought into engagement with the cam-runner M and will cause the thread take-up M to be depressed and the timing of the parts is such that this will occur e iactlyat the time the eye of the needle reaches the level of the material, notwithstanding variations in the said level; it being understood that the distance the needle has to travel before its eye reaches thesaid position and the pause before the end of the upstroke and beginning of the downstroke of the take-up are both controlled by the thickness of the work.

The thread locker comprises a roller 0 (Fig. 1) which is moved to and from a fixed abutment 0 consisting of a piece screwed to the frame of the machine and curved at its top end so that the roller 0 clamps the The roller is car ried on a pin 0 eccentrically mounted on a small rock-shaft 0 working in hearings in the frame of the machine. Attached to the rock-shaft O is an arm 0 that rests 011 a spring-pressed plunger 0 which latter normally moves the rock-shaft O to cause the thread-runner O to clamp the thread against the abutment 0. Another arm 0 (Fig. 3) Working about the rock-shaft O is actuated through a roller upon it by a cam formed on the periphery of the cam-disk G. The

arm 0 has a lost motion connection with I purpose of enabling at the same time va-- rious thicknesses of the thread to be gripped. The machine is provided with a stitch length measurer which comprises a tubular slider P (Fig. 4:) with a projecting toe P adapted at times to engage the thread just behind the needle (1 so as to tuck it in close to the surface of the material adjacent to the position of the next needle hole. This occurs while the needle is out of the work as shownin Fig. t; The tubular slider P is mounted on a vertical guide rod P secured to the needle bar carrying frame C and it moves to and fro in unison with the needle while the work is being fed and while the needle is returning. The tubular slider P is controlled as to its vertical position by an inclined guide rod 1" lixed to the presser bar I and working in a hole in the slider; and by this ar rangement the slider P, is lifted away from the work as the feed takes place and lowered toward the work as the needle is returned 1 by its carrier 0 into its work-penetrating position. he attachment of the slider P to the presser foot I also insures that the toe P shall be moved close on to the surface of work of varying thicknesses when it tucks in the thread. In operation, after the, work is-fed and the stitch has been pulled in, the return feed motion of the needle will bring about a corresponding return of the stitch length measurer, bringing it into contact with the thread so as to tuck in the thread close to the surface of the material just behind the position of the next needle hole. The work-feeding motion will then move to toe rearwardly and upward so as I It will be noted 1 that sulficient thread to form a stitch shall be pulled through the thread locker O O notwithstanding variation in the length of the stitch or of the thickness of the work. l'Vith the before described improved arrangement of devices it should be noted that the number of surfaces with which the needle thread contacts in its passage from the supply to the work is reduced to a minimum and merely comprises the roller 0 of the thread locking device 0 U, the roller M of the take-up lever M and the eye of the needle C; additionally; in passing this thread around the shuttle l) a minimum of friction is engendered in the eye of the needle and the loop passes over the shuttle without strain so that the result of the whole combination is the production of much better waxed thread sewing than has been possible heretofore in the eyedneedle type of machine. v

The nature and scope of the present invention having been indicated and a machine embodying the several features thereof in their preferred form having been specifically described, what is claimed is 1. A lock stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices in 2. A lock stitch sewing machine, having,

in combination, stitch forming devices 1ncluding an eyed needle, a take up, mechanism for positively actuating the take up to deliver thread. to the needle while penetrating the work and for positively actuating the take up to set the stitch and then yieldingly to and means controlled by the thickness of the work for limiting the thread drawing stroke of the take up and for starting the thread delivering stroke when the needle arrives at a predetermined position with relation to the surface of the work. 7

8. A look stitch sewing machine, having,

in combination, stitch forming devices 1n- ,cluding a needle, a take up, a thread measuring stop adjustable by the work to limit the movement of the take up, and mechanism for actuating the take up positively to set the stitch and then yieldingly to draw thread from the supply.

fl. A lock stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a needle, atake up, a thread looking device against which the stitch is set, means for actuating the take up positively -to set the stitch and then yieldingly to draw thread from the supply, means for actuating the thread locking device to unlock the thread after the stitch is set, and means controlled by the thickness of the work for limiting the thread measuring stroke of the take up.

5. A lock stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch formingv devices'includinga needle, a take up, a thread locking device against which the stitch is set, mechanism for actuating the take up to set the stitch and then draw thread from the supply, having provision for imparting aretr'ograde movement to the .take up after the stitch is set to relieve the strain on the thread, and means for actuating the thread locking device to release the thread after the retrograde movement of the take up.

6. A look stitch sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices in cluding a needle, a take up, means for actuating the take up, first positively to set the stitch and then yieldingly to draw thread from the supply, and means controlled by the thickness of the work for limiting the thread drawing stroke of the take up.

draw thread from the supply,-

- eluding a needle, a take up, means for actuating the take up first positively to set the stitch and then yieldingly to draw thread from the supply, a presser foot, and a stop connected to the presser foot for limiting the thread drawing stroke of the take up.

9. A lock stitch sewing machine having, m comblnation, stitch forming devices ineluding a needle and a shuttle, means havmg provision 'for adjustment .for feeding the work, a thread lock and means operating automatically during each c; *'j=le of operations of the machine to draw from the supply through the 'thread lock an amount of thread proportional both to the length of stitch and to the thickness of the work.

10. A lock stitch sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a needle and a shuttle, a thread look, a thread measuring device, means for actuating said device to draw thread from the supply through the-thread lock, means controlled by the thickness of the-work for limiting. the thread drawing stroke of said device, a second thread measuring device,

and means for actuating said second devicein combination, stitch forming devices in cluding an eyed needle, a thread measuring device arranged to engage the threadbetween the eye of the needle and the work, means for moving said device back and forth in the line 0 feed a distance'equal to the length of the stitch, a presser foot, and a connection between the presser foot and the thread measuring device to determine the position of the device with relation to the surface e f-the work.

13. A lock stitch sewing machinehaving,

in combination, stitch forming devices in eluding an eyed needle, 8. feed frame, a. toward and from the work during the backthrend measuring device mounted on the ward and forward movements of the feed feed frame arran d to en age the thread frame.

between the eye 0 the need e and the work, ARTHUR ERNEST J ERRAM. a presser foot, an inclined guide on the Witnesses:

preser foot engagin the thread measuring KATHERINE Rnx'rox,

device and arrange to move said device ELEANOR PYWELL. 

